XP Amazon Store Announced

[unox]

I have never made a purchase from Amazon, but I do buy odds and ends from eBay.

[F350Platinum]

Just now, unox said:

I have never made a purchase from Amazon, but I do buy odds and ends from eBay.

I've been buying from both and selling on eBay since 1997. I can't think of a problem ever, except for an unscrupulous buyer or two.

[midalake]

2 hours ago, Chase Goldman said:

Bob and I are killing it out there with our crippled Beta test D2’s.  My fully updated Nox is collecting dust and the 900 has been a mostly disappointment so far for a version 2.0.  Sorry this 0.71 beta is holding you back, Dave.  But hard core beach hunting is not my wheelhouse,

Fresh picture 5 minutes ago>I know we got it covered here!! 😎

 

[unox]

2 minutes ago, F350Platinum said:

I've been buying from both and selling on eBay since 1997

Yeah cool F350, I have sold a few things over the years on eBay, the selling fees are pretty hefty these days though. My daughter buys lots of stuff from Amazon, it gets delivered to my house as I am retired. I might start doing some shopping on there myself in the future...her stuff comes in very quickly.

[F350Platinum]

13 minutes ago, unox said:

Yeah cool F350, I have sold a few things over the years on eBay, the selling fees are pretty hefty these days though. My daughter buys lots of stuff from Amazon, it gets delivered to my house as I am retired. I might start doing some shopping on there myself in the future...her stuff comes in very quickly.

I probably wouldn't buy a detector on Amazon when I have a brick and mortar shop about an hour from me that will set up, update and test the machine for me as well as provide training at the time of purchase. They will also give me military discounts on detectors from companies that offer them. 🇺🇲 🇦🇺

However, I'll buy accessories and parts from just about anywhere, most times from places that offer slightly lower prices and/or reasonable shipping. If the whole shebang is cheaper on Amazon, or it's the only place I can get it, then that is what I'll use. I'm a Prime member so sometimes I get some good deals, and sometimes the added $$ to cover shipping is less than others when the final bill is tallied. 😀 I'm retired too!

[Chase Goldman]

3 hours ago, phrunt said:

I contacted XP customer service on their website to ask about their XP Pinpointers and if they're pulse or not, they never replied.   They don't appear to have fantastic customer service. 

 

I guess then it's a good thing that after owning 5 of their detector control boxes, 9 coils, 2 pinpointers, and 6 sets of wireless phones over the past 8 years (I believe in backups and loaners for friends and family), I've never had to send any back for repair.  Though, I know of a few who have dealt with the US repair facility for repair and replacement and have not heard complaints.  But yeah, they don't seem to be responsive to inquiries or routine questions about equipment.

[palzynski]

10 hours ago, unox said:

I have never made a purchase from Amazon, but I do buy odds and ends from eBay.

Exactly the opposite for me ...    

I never use ebay . Amazon is simple , fast and very reliable . I use it for buying what I cannot find in my local shops , dvds , electronics , etc ..  But I would never buy an expensive item like a detector on Amazon 

[kac]

Both Ebay and Amazon have been known to sell knockoffs. Something you don't hear about from authorized dealers. End of the day you will get better service from a small reliable dealer and often solid opinions of a machine than you will from Ebay or Amazon. Granted Ebay has quite a few dealers selling on them. Amazon beats up on merchants badly. I limit my purchasing there in particular.

What is funny is many of the big importers will sell on Ebay, Amazon and Ali Express often with the same product but different names. Quite a bit of those products come from Alibaba.

Wonder how many of those products will dry up if there is a conflict with China and the west?

[phrunt]

The purpose is to make access to the products easier, and a business decision to increase sales, Amazon gives them massive exposure to a big market of customers, a little dealership running out of their little shop or even garage is hardly comparable and not going to give them near as many sales and can't even be compared to the exposure they could get from Amazon.

As someone that lives in a more remote place with harder access to many products Ebay, Amazon and the likes have been vital for me.

Dealers in the US have been able to ship me product they otherwise wouldn't and I simply had no way to buy any other way as they joined Ebay's global shipping program, they just ship the product to Ebay who takes care of getting it to me, not another worry in the world about the sale for the seller, if they get it to Ebay, then that's their job done.  It also helps with the costs of shipping with the bulk methods of shipping they use.

"The Global Shipping Program makes your items available to more than 60 million buyers worldwide. You're protected from negative / neutral feedback, and have control over which items you want to ship through the program.

Send your eligible item to our domestic shipping center, and once it reaches us, your job is done: We'll manage the international shipping and customs process for you."

I don't know as much about Amazon but they appear to have a global shipping program too and a fulfillment option where  businesses send products to Amazon fulfillment centers and when a customer makes a purchase, they pick, pack, and ship the order. They can also provide customer service and process returns for those orders.

Yes, it's all part of the slow death of the dealer, it's been slowing happening over time, but the best way we can ensure our local friendly dealers survive is to buy from them when we can, although most dealers internet buying options are pretty basic and amateur so they're more targeting their local market with the retail stores than taking advantage of the huge customer base that is the internet.  Many need to take a good look at their online stores and bring them up to be modern and easier to use, and more like the big players if they want more internet sales.  It's really not difficult to make a good online store and if they can't do it they should just pay someone to do it, it's not a massive job.  The internet is the biggest customer base in the world, take advantage of it!

[abenson]

Don't know that I would buy a metal detector from Amazon. But I do buy a lot from them and I'm totally pleased with their delivery and service. If you have a problem with a purchase, they take it back no questions asked and I can drop the item off at my local Kohl's store. They box it up and ship it, absolutely no hassle from them at all.

Sadly it looks like the metal detector companies are moving away from dealers.

Not saying dealers have put themselves in this situation, but I can tell you I'm really sick of going to 3 or 4 different stores looking for something in particular and not being able to find it. Get on Amazon, find the item and have it delivered next day. I get that a store can't have everything in stock but this happens even with the most common items.